Doll or display figure



y 23, 1940- M. c. WOOD 2,202,805

DOLL 0R DISPLAY FIGURE Filed Oct. 18, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l 5?! INVENTOR:

T JWM W 56 BY fgi Q 50 A TTORNEYS.

May 28, 1940.

M. c. woon DOLL 0R DISPLAY FIGURE Filed Oct. 18, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 r INVENTOR: Mildrzd L. mm.

ATTORNEYS.

May 28, 1940. c w

DOLL 0R DISPLAY FIGURE Filed Oct. 18, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FZCi 9.

55 I N V EN TOR: Mildred ,ammz,

A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 28, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention relates to dolls, manikin display and lay figures, and, more particularly, to such figures having a reinforced foundation substantially encased in suitable wrapping to build .1 up and give appropriate body contour to the desired figure.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a doll, manikin display and lay figure including a novel form of reinforced foundation ii) whereby the device can be variously flexed and positioned in distinctive poses; for example, when the invention is embodied in a doll, the arms, legs and body portion, as well as the head, are movable into selected positions simulative of walking, sitting, dancing, running, and so forth.

Another object is to provide a doll, manikin, or lay figure, the various components of which can be relatively disposed for esthetic and effective display purposes with pre-assurance of normally holding the requisite pose.

A further object is to provide a device of the above indicated type that is simple to construct, durable in character, and which may be econonomically manufactured.

Other objects and ancillary advantages of this invention will appear from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, while the concludin claims more particularly express the features of novelty.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a toy doll embodying a preferred form of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a face view of the reinforced foundansa tion included in the doll of Fig. 1.

Fig. 2a is a section on the plane IIa- -IIa of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the foundation shown by Figs. 2 and 3, in part encased with suitable strip material to the desired formative ex tent, and with other parts variously exposed to better illustrate underlying features.

Fig. 5 is a broken vertical section on the plane VV of Figs. 2, 3 and 4, as viewed in the direction of the respectively associated arrows, said section being drawn to substantially larger scale for the better illustration of structural details.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the head portion of the doll as viewed in the direction of the arrows VIVI in Fig. l.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged top plan view of the head of the doll, before application thereto of the hair; or, as viewed in the direction of the arrows V'II VII in Fig. 4:.

Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken on the plane VIIIVIII of Fig. 4, and drawn to a larger scale for clearer illustration.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section through the body and hips of the doll, or approximately on the plane IXIX of Fig. 2, but drawn to a larger scale for better illustration of the details.

Fig. 10 is a vertical section through the leg lower portion and foot of the doll, taken approximately on the plane XX of Fig. 2.

, Fig. 11 is a perspective View of a body component of the doll hereinafter more particularly described.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of the reinforced foundation; and,

Fig. 13 is a section on the plane XIII-XIII of the preceding illustration.

In the following detailed disclosure of this invention, specific terms will be employed for the sake of clearness in description, and it is to be 3 understood such terms are not limitative, but are intended to include all reasonable equivalents that may have analogous meaning.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, which, by way of example, illustrate a doll comprehensively designated in Fig. 1 by the reference It, the same embodies a skeleton frame or foundation element i5, Figs. 2 and 3 more particularly. This foundation element l5, preferably severed from buckram or other suitable stiffening material, comprises a body section It with a neck and head ll, i8, respectively, integral therewith; whereas the leg and arm portions i9, are of like material and relatively detached.

Secured to one face of the foundation It as by stitching 2 I, is a reinforcement, preferably in the form of sinuous wire 22, said wire being medially expanded and bent along corresponding lines towards one another to provide a cross-brace 23 for the crown of the dolls head It, with the adjoining sinuous sections 25 affording side support for the dolls face. In the lower portion of the head it the sinuous sections 2d are inwardly contracted or reduced, as shown at 25, to fit the neck IT, and then outwardly displaced to form opposing bends 28 for the reinforcing of the shoulders 21 of the foundation l5. From the shoulder bends 26 extend sinuous body sections 28, conveniently made of greater width so as to transversely brace the buckram body part it substantially from its sides to proximate the center.

It will be observed the body section [6 is transversely slit inwards of the waist line 29, or from the side edges towards the center, but that said slits do not extend wholly across the body section I6, so as to provide an intervening unsevered width 30, for a purpose later on again referred to. From the body sections 28 the sinuous wire is applied to the face of the buckram centrally down the legs I9 to proximate the toe portions 3|, as clearly shown in, and understandable from, Figs. 2 and 10, more particularly; while all the sinuous and bend portions of the wire 22, are continuously sewn to the adjoining parts of said foundation I 5, in an obvious manner. Thus it will be seen that the front face of the buckram foundation I5 is effectively reinforced from the head I8 to the toe pieces 3I, while said foundation with the legs I9 are covered at the back with correspondingly contoured sheet sections 32, 33 of suitable material, such as felt.

To the back of the body section IS, with its felt covering 32, there is stitched an additional sinuous wire reinforcement 34, the medial portion whereof embodies vertically directed elongated bends 35 which do not project below the waist line 29; whereas the continuing portions 36 of said reinforcement extend lengthwise of the arms 26 and are secured thereto by stitching 2I, as before set forth. It is to be noted the reinforcement portions 36 are first threaded through holes 31 in the buckram and felt 38, 39, Fig. 2a, of the arms 20 before being secured to the latter by the stitching 2|; while the free ends of said portions 36 are appropriately turned at 40 to stiffen and shape the hands 4 I. In addition, the hands 4| and fingers 42 are reinforced at the front by correspondingly contoured sinuous wires 53, sewn thereto as above described.

At the back, the legs I9 are further strengthened preferably by a length of sinuous wire 44 having the medial portion appropriately shaped at 45 to conform with the lower portion of the body I6, or crotch of the doll I4, with the continuing sinuous parts of said wire extended down the legs if} to some distance above the feet 46. The feet 46 are appropriately molded from suitable hard-setting composition with the lower ends of sinuous wire sections 4'! embedded therein, while said sections 41 extend upwards and partially overlap the lower sinuous parts 44 aforesaid, with the overlaps secured in place as by stitching 2i to provide for easy movement of the feet relative to the lower leg portions of the doll I4.

The arms 26 are additionally reinforced at the front by sinuous wire 48 appropriately included as continuous lengths throughout the hands 4| and fingers 42, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

After the foundation I5 is made up, as above set forth, a suitably contoured facing continuous length of felt or the like 49 is applied over the head, body and legs I8, I5 and I 9, respectively, with the surrounding edges attached as by stitching 50 to back feltings 32, 33.

The head 5| of the doll I4 is preferably made from molded composition, like the feet 46, in front and back halves 52, 53, respectively; each said half having the ends of a longitudinally directed flexible strip 54 embedded therein, so that when the halves are placed in registration they can be secured together by one or more lateral anchoring bands 55, Figs. 4 and 5-7; whereupon said halves 52, 53 are secured together by adhesive strips 56 in an obvious manner. The front half 52 of the head is provided with indentations 5T, 58 and a protuberance 59, as foundations for the eyes, mouth and nose, respectively.

When the foundation I5 and head 5| are made up, as above described, the body is wrapped with continuous strip material 60 with interposed padding of cotton-wool SI, for example, to give the desired rotundity to the body, legs and arms, in accordance with known practice; whereupon hair 62 is applied to the head 5|, and the doll appropriately dressed as illustratively depicted in Fig. 1.

Instead of the stitching 2|, above described, staples 63 such as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, may be clinched through the several components of the foundation I5; while said foundation I5 is preferably fitted with a protective device in the region of the waist line 29 in the form of a discous element 64, Fig. 11, of appropriate flexible sheet material to permit easy lateral flexing of the doll body. This element 64 has a suitable cut-out 65 defining segments 65 for passage through the waist line slits 29, and convenient disposition of the segments 66 at the back of the foundation I5, as best shown in Fig. 3, while the edge 61 of said out-out contacts the unsevercd part 30 of said foundation, so that the severed parts may easily ride over one another, in an obvious manner.

It is to be noted that the sinuous wire employed may be either of single strand type, or of multiple strands such as picture-wire, and of different gage in accordance with the required degree of flexibility desired in the doll or lay figure. Similarly the material for building-up, backing, padding and wrapping, of the figure foundation may be of differing character to those specified without departing from the fundamental features of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A foundation for dolls, manikins and lay figures, made from desirably contoured sheet material to include a head and body component with relatively detached limb elements; a continuous basic reinforcement of sinuous wire medially bent to define complemental sections extending from the upper part of the head lengthwise of the body component and limbs; and means for securing the sinuous reinforcement to one face of the foundation.

2. A foundation of the type defined by claim 1, wherein the sheet material is buckram or the like, the medial portion of the sinuous wire reinforcement is deformed to provide a crown brace for the head, and said reinforcement affords movable connection for the limbs.

3. A foundation of the type defined by claim 1, further characterized by an additional reinforcement of sinuous wire applied to the reverse face of the body component with extension along an associated pair of the limbs, and said reinforcement includes a medial section of substantially longer bends for disposal in crosswise relation to the basic reinforcement confronting bends.

4. A foundation for dolls, manikins and lay figures made from desirably contoured sheet material to include a combined head and body component, and plural pairs of relatively detached .limbs; a continuous basic reinforcement of sinuous wire medially bent to define complemental sections, said reinforcement being adapted to fit within the confines of the foundation head and body component with extension lengthwise of one pair of the limbs; an additional reinforcement of like wire with medial portion embodying bends of greater extent than the flanking lengths, and said bends disposed crosswiserelative to the body section portions of the basic reinforcement with the flanking portions arranged lengthwise of the other pair of limbs and affording pivotal connection for the latter; and means for securing said sinuous reinforcements to the head and body component and the limbs.

5. A foundation of the type defined in claim 4, further characterized by an auxiliary sinuous wire reinforcement applied to the back of one pair of the relatively detached limbs, said aux iliary reinforcement having the medial portion deformed to fit the crotch of the body component intervening the associated pair of limbs, and individual lengths of similar reinforcing wire applied lengthwise of the other pair of limbs.

6. A foundation of the type defined in claim l, further characterized by conformatory covering sheets of felt, and means securing said sheets to the foundation, in combination with strip material continuously wound about the covered foundation and intervening filler material to give the desired shape to the doll, manikin, or lay figure.

7. A foundation for dolls, manikins, and lay figures as defined in claim 4, further characterized by aligned slits across the foundation body section, said slits defining an intermediate unsevered width, and a discous element of sheet material having a cut-out to define spaced segments engageable with the slits aforesaid, said element affording waist like support for the foundation while permitting flexure of the body section to and fro as well as laterally.

8. In a doll, manikin or lay figure, the combination of a combined head and body component of buckram with a felt backing, relatively detached arms and legs of like materials, a continuous basic reinforcement of sinuous wire medially bent to define complemental sections ex tending lengthwise from the top of the doll head throughout the body and down the legs; similar wire reinforcing the arms and affording pivotal connection thereof relative to the head and body component; means securing said reinforcements to the respective foundation parts, composition counterpart halves applied to the head portion of the body component to give form thereto; and a felt covering enclosing and secured over the several parts aforesaid.

9. A doll, manikin or lay figure as defined in claim 8, wherein the arm reinforcing wire comprises a continuous length including a central deformed section of relatively longer bends for disposition crosswise at the back of the foundation with respect to the confronting part of the basic reinforcement.

10. A doll, manikin or lay figure as defined in claim 8, further characterized by composition feet, each one of said feet having a sinuous length of wire embedded therein, and means securing the projecting portion of said length of wire to the lower portion of the associated leg, whereby flexibility is afforded for movement of the feet.

11. A doll, manikin or lay figure as defined in claim 8, wherein the foundation head and body component is formed across the waist line with aligned inward and relatively spaced slits, and a discous sheet material reinforce having a cutout, defining segments, engaging through said slots.

12. A doll, manikin or lay figure as defined in claim 8, wherein the composition head comprises face and back halves each of which has the ends of a strip embedded therein so as to define an anchorage loop, and adhesive strips are threaded through said loops to secure the respective MILDRED C. WOOD. 

